Man arrested for rail station meltdown

Julian Fawcett railed against transport police

A MAN was arrested for a bizarre rant at railway station staff and passengers.

Parents shielded their young children from the behaviour of Julian Fawcett as he railed against transport police, Reading magistrates heard on Thursday, July 28.

Lesley Gilmore, prosecuting, said Mr Fawcett, a self-described charcoal-maker from Horseshoe Road, Pangbourne, began by berating staff at Reading railway station for the amount of time he had been waiting for a train.

She added: “He was asked to lower his tone as it was around 4pm and there were families with children present. People were avoiding walking near him.”

Mr Fawcett was directed to the correct platform but was later asked to leave the station when he continued shouting and swearing, the court heard.

Ms Gilmore said British Transport Police had arrived by now and deemed the 50-year-old “too intoxicated to travel”.

Mr Fawcett then wandered to a taxi rank but continued shouting and swearing, yelling “I’m going to kill them,” magistrates were told.

Ms Gilmore went on: “At least one family with a toddler had to shield their youngster from all this.”

Mr Fawcett was arrested and subsequently admitted using threatening or abusive behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress on July 9.

Representing himself, he told the court: “I’m going through a bad time at the moment and have been having some mental health problems.

“I used to have a business making charcoal but I’ve got a rage inside me and on this occasion, having had a lot to drink and being in physical pain, it was a perfect storm. I do regret what I did.”

Magistrates fined Mr Fawcett £40, with a statutory £30 surcharge, but made no order for costs.